BRIGHT'S KNEES CLOSED!

The vet came out and took x-rays yesterday. The news is very good.  Bright's knees have closed.  Now this might not sound like big news to you, but it is!! This means that Bright can now start training in earnest because he can bear weight ( a jockey) on a gallop.  So - we can now start giving Bright some easy gallops to get him into condition.  Bright is about 6 weeks ahead of where we were hoping he might be - so we are very excited that he grew big and strong early - and his kneees have closed meaning that his body is ready to run.  Bright continues to impress me with his maturity.  He will go back into gallops with Efrain on April 1 and we will plan to take to Santa Anita at the end of June so he can move with his trainer's barn to Del Mar for the summer meet there.  We are ahead of schedule!  Woo hoo!

DISCOVERY OF THE SPEED GENE

THIS IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING! I have spoken to Dr. Emmeline Hill of Equinome and sent off Bright Journey's DNA today to Ireland.  Stay posted for findings.  Meanwhile, if you want and explanation of the Speed Gene and what it means, watch this video.

BIG BRIGHT TURNS 2 YEARS OLD - Feb 26

He's Happy!  He's Flashy! and He's 2 years old so he gets a whole bag of carrots.
We went out to Once Over Farm on Friday and celebrated Bright.  I plucked 40 mane hairs and sent them off to Kentucky to have his DNA tested for the "Speed Gene."   We will find out if he's a sprinter, middle distance horse, or router.  No matter what he is, he's super swell.

Almost 2 Years Old

Bright is 6 days away from his 2 year old birthday.  Efrain estimates that his weight is about 975 pounds and that he will put on another 75 in muscle mass in the spring and summer.  We think he is about 16'1" right now.  Efrain is 5'11" so that makes Bright's withers at about 65 inches.  He seems to like it out at Once Over Farm.  He's got a nice paddock in the back out by the hills.  Very picturesque.  This morning was foggy but it burned off around 11.  The temperature was mild.   I took my Dad to see him for the first time.  Dad thought he was much bigger in real life than in his photos.  Bright ate a whole bag of carrots and then posed for us.  Efrain Guzman, who runs Once Over and trained Bold Chieftan as a two year old, is holding Bright in these photos.  Efrain said that Bright is a natural when it comes to posing.  I said, "I sure hope he's going to be taking alot of photos in the Winner Circle."  Bright will get cookies on Saturday for his birthday.  Some friends from Portola Pastures are coming to visit him. It will be a regular party.

PORTRAIT OF BRIGHT AND JEN

 

There are lots of reasons to smile about Bright Journey.  Look how nicely he has grown up. And he is a sweet soul.  I could not be happier with the way that he has turned out.

BRIGHT NOW AT ONCE OVER FARM

We moved Bright to Once Over Farm in Morgan Hill on Thursday. He had finished his first three months of initial training at Legacy and I wanted him a little closer to me so I could visit. He is only 45 minutes away now. I am very excited for him because he will have 6 weeks off and then go back in training with Efrain Guzman. Efrain trained Bold Cheiftain who just won the $500,000 Sunshine Millions race today at Santa Anita. Bold Chieftain has never raced outside of California but he is one of those rare Cal breds that has won over $1.4 million. Great horse. Efrain has great hands and is very patient with young horses. He gives them alot of personal attention. Bright will probably be with Efrain for at least 3-4 months before heading South. There is lots of growing for him to do in the Spring, but mostly it will be filling out and modeling the bone in his legs. Already though, he's a strong handsome colt.  Look how he has nice muscle on his front legs and a great top line.  BJ is at least 16' 1 now and he is taller than his sire - and much different than his dam in body type.  Lady Marquise was like a Quarter Horse.  Its interesting to see how he is the best of both of them.  He has all of Good Journey's flashy fantastic looks and some really great bone structure from his dam.  

BRIGHT LOOKS LIKE A REAL RACEHORSE

After Bright went around Legacy's 5/8th track once at a jog, his exercise rider brought him over to say Hi.  He looks all grown up now.  He takes after his sire in the looks department, but may even be taller than him now.  He still has a little more growing to do - and he will fill out a bit, but you are seeing a colt who is clearly going to be a big runner with a long stride.  He has nice round hooves and a balanced body. He will be a turf miler for sure.

BRIGHT OUT FOR A MORNING JOG AT LEGACY 1-16-2010

When I arrived at the Farm at 9 am, Anita whisked me to the training barn in her golf cart.  It was so cold and foggy, we draped a blanket over our legs.  When we got there, Bright was walking out of the shadow of the barn, fully tacked, and ready to go for a little spin.  His exercise rider legged up and they started walking to the track with another chestnut.  Bright acted like a total professional.  In this photo, Bright is on the left.  His rider is in blue.  You can see that he is quite a bit taller at the withers than his companion.  Bright is not ready to gallop yet.  His bones are still forming and you don't want to stress them too much.  He needs time to grow into his tall and lanky frame.  So he just walks and jogs a bit.  He is still a baby in his head and alittle spooky.  But he likes being out on the track and is easy to handle.  He enjoys his morning walk.  He has been in training for 2 1/2 months now and he's a good student.

BRIGHT IN TRAINING!

BRIGHT IS NOW IN THE BARN.  Play time is over. Starting the first of  November, he went into light training.  So he is inside in a fabulously big stall.  We went to see him one evening at about 6pm. It was freezing!  About to snow.  But he seemed pretty comfortable.  And happy to see us because we brought carrots.

MY BUDDY BRIGHT AND HIS BUDDY - 10-11-09

Here HE is giving me a hug the way that horses do. He's still sweeter than ever. Easy to handle. A nice animal and a good soul. He likes to nip and play. He's a colt - so he has a ferocious kick now. And in a few months - he could be a stud if we let him. He likes it when I rub his ears and his forehead. Today when we got to the pasture, he ran around and around with his buddies and got all sweaty. We just watched them and enjoyed their youthful exhuberance. I think that he did not recognize me for a little while. We sat on the fence and the dog ran up and down and they would come to a stop, check out the people sitting on the fence, then tear off again to the far corner of the pasture. Then they would come back a few minutes later. They did this three of four times and then I hopped down in the pasture and started walking towards Bright. He started - darted away - then quickly came back. Then all of a sudden - he got this look of recognition and he walked right up to me and bumped me. The way your cat does when he says Hi. It took him a little while but then it was like we were old buddies and he followed me around. I hadn't seen him in over two months and was so impressed by his growth. He had filled out considerably. Big bones. Not ribby any more. His coat is deep chestnut. His mane flies in the wind. He looks like a horse. A really beautiful handsome colt. Thats what he is.

THE THREE AMIGOS - ONE LAST TIME 10-10-09

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THESE THREE AMIGOS WILL GO FROM HERE WITH THEIR CAREERS AND LIVES, BUT FOR THE FIRST 20 MONTH, THEY WERE THE BEST OF PALS. IN WINDS, RAIN, COLD AND HEAT, THEY HORSED AROUND AND HUDDLED TOGETHER WHILE THEY GREW UP TO BE RUNNERS. BRIGHT IS IN THE MIDDLE - HE IS ALWAYS IN THE MIDDLE WHEN HE RUNS. THATS JUST HIS STYLE.

LOOK AT HOW TALL HE IS! OCT. 10, 2009

Here I am leading Bright Journey. I am just a hair shy of 5 foot 6 with shoes on. Brights back is as tall as me. That means he's 16.1 hands tall and he is still growing!! He's got tremendous bone on his front legs, a well balance neck, and handsome head. He has nice round feet, and croup that is slightly higher than his withers, and a fantastic gaskin. He has long legs and good stride. He is built like a rachorse should be built.

One of the very nicest things about Bright is how well he handles. For a horse that has been in pasture all his life, he is very agreeable. He let me pick up his feet, and run him all over. I rubbed his ears, his forehead, his belly. He will let you do anything you like to him. And, he follows. Not perfectly well, but he is willing. He has such a nice disposition. I could not ask for anything more. He's really the complete package.

THE NOSE KNOWS CARROTS - OCT. 11, 2009

BRIGHT HAS A NOSE FOR CARROTS. AND A KIND EYE. HE IS SUCH A CUTE FELLOW.

BEAUTIFUL LEGACY

The Pasture where Bright lives is a glorious patch of verdant land. It has allowed him to grow up big and strong. The weather has been fair, but the days are getting shorter now. This weekend was the last weekend that Bright would get to frolic. A new crop of baby colts needs the pasture and Bright has to graduate to the training barn. Anita and Shaun have been wonderful to Bright - keeping an eye on him to make sure he stays out of trouble. The pasture is right out there backyard and they can look out from time to time to see him horsing around. Bright has been so blessed to grow up a Legacy and in such a temperate and lovely place. He's had a good start.

BIG LITTLE HORSE - OCT. 10, 2009

Bright is 20 months now. He's not a baby anymore. I would say that he is about 16 hands and close to a 1000 pounds. This weekend was his last weekend with his buddies in the pasture. He started with 8 colts and only 3 are left. The rest of them have started training. Next week - his two other buddies will go into the barn to start their training. So - thats it. He's at the age where its time to put a saddle on him and bit in his mouth and give him a job.

Bright Wants More Carrots

Bright is tall enough to get his head over the fence and to ask for more carrots.

BRIGHT'S HERD

THE COLT'S LIKE TO RUN CONSTANTLY. Its fun to watch them. Bright is on the lead. He is a fine runner.

BRIGHT'S GANG - June 2009

Here is Bright's gang. These are the other colts in his pasture that he hangs with. Bright is the second on the far right - ears perked. Beautiful white blaze. Three white socks (like Secretariat). He is 16 months now.

When we got to the farm, the colts ran around for about 45 minutes and got all sweaty. Then we went to the far corner which is shaded by a large tree and the colts came over for carrots. Bright knows his name and will eagerly eat carrots. He is very friendly and sweet. And the colts all are very funny together. I would say that the most obvious thing about a gang of colts is that they are a curious bunch. They like to nibble on shoe laces, shirts, and caps.

Bright is only a few months from going into training. I would say that he is about 650 pounds now. And he looks like a horse.

Happy Birthday Bright!

The thing I like really about this photo is that Bright is coming towards me because I am calling to him. He knows his name. And he is responding to it.

BIRTHDAY PHOTO

BRIGHT TURNS 1 - OFFICIALLY A YEARLING

Bright turned one on February 26, 2009. He is now a big strong strapping yearling. I went to see him at the farm and he and his buddies ran away from me in a rain slogged field. The water spraying everywhere. It was beautiful to see those young colts run off in a herd. Eventually, they all settled down for evening hay and I was able to seduce Bright with a carrot. And then he remembered me.

Today is the day that Bright got it. He recognizes me and lets me rub his ears and forehead. He comes to me for carrots and eats them a plenty when the other colts just mimic him. He is the only colt who knows his name - because he is the only one to have a name. He knows when you call him now. He undestands carrots, rubbing, and friendship. The other colts are curious, but only Bright knows that he has a human that loves and adores him. He gets it.

This is a photo of Bright and his buddy by a mare named Super Interco. I just call him the Doppleganger. Bright is on the left. Doppleganger is on the right. I am glad that Bright has a buddy.